Sonoco Products Company has selected Ernest Haynes III to succeed Howard Coker as its president and CEO.
Coker will retire from his roles as director, president and CEO on 31 December 2026, after more than 40 years at the company.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Coker said: “It has been the honour of my career to serve as CEO of Sonoco, a company I have known all my life.
“Now is the right time to hand leadership to the next generation as part of our orderly succession planning process. Ernest is a proven leader who has built a deep understanding of our business across nearly three decades with Sonoco. I have tremendous confidence in him and look forward to supporting him through the transition.”
Haynes, currently president of global consumer packaging, will join Sonoco’s board as a director. He took on his current role in August 2026.
Haynes joined Sonoco in 1997 and has worked in leadership positions in both its consumer and industrial segments.
His previous roles include, Americas consumer packaging president; Sonoco metal packaging division president; North America rigid paper containers vice president; North America Rigid Paper and Containers division vice president and general manager; US and Canada Tubes and Cores division vice president and general manager.
He was previously director of manufacturing for tubes & cores and chaired Sonoco’s corporate quality council.
Haynes said, “I am honoured and appreciative to our Board of Directors for trusting me to lead Sonoco, and I am energised by the opportunity to guide this tremendous organisation going forward.
“Through Howard’s leadership, we are inheriting a strong foundation that positions us well for the future. I am thankful for his investment in me, and we will work closely together to ensure a seamless transition.”
